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January 9, 2026

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At Mar-a-Lago, Netanyahu seeks Iran strike approval while Trump presses Gaza plan

US President Donald Trump is expected to push Israel to enter the second phase of his Gaza peace plan, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will focus on securing Trump’s approval for a potential strike on Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Analysis

Gaza realities test Trump’s 2025 Middle East ambitions

During its first year, the second Trump administration confronted wars in Gaza and Sudan, forged new ties with Syria and grappled with the growing nuclear threat from Iran.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in a joint news conference with US President Donald Trump (not seen) in the State Dining Room at the White House on Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington.

Analysis

In 2025, Netanyahu saved his coalition but stalled on Gaza, Iran, Lebanon

With 2025 ending, Israelis are frustrated over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to fully end the Gaza war, solve the Hezbollah problem, reach a deal with Syria or find a way to constructively impact talks on the Iranian nuclear program.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

US President Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, in Jerusalem on Oct. 13, 2025.

Analysis

Trump has upper hand over Netanyahu, but is it enough for Gaza?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been stalling on the implementation of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, but at the end of the day, Trump has much more leverage over Netanyahu.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Latest News

Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat

A ship sails along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia, April 16, 2025.

Facing Israeli pushback, Turkey recalibrates public messaging on Gaza force

Saeed Jaras / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Daoud Kuttab

Palestine Columnist

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Rasha Abou Jalal

In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Abeer Ayyoub

In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Fatima AbdulKarim

In Ramallah, reporting on the West Bank

U.S. Reps Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) hold a news conference after Democrats in the U.S. Congress moved to formally condemn President Donald Trump's attacks on the four minority congresswomen on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 15, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott - RC11EF17C500

Netanyahu risks all by placing fate in Trump's hands

Unable to refuse any request from his ally President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has barred Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering Israel despite wide condemnation.

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 15, 2019 shows Democrat US Representatives Ilhan Abdullahi Omar (L) and Rashida Tlaib during a press conference, to address remarks made by US President Donald Trump earlier in the day, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on July 15, 2019. - Influential US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC on August 15, 2019 opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to bar two Muslim American members of Congress from visiting the Jewish state."We disagree with Reps. Oma

Democratic leaders blast Israel for banning Tlaib, Omar

Pro-Israel Democrats are blasting Israel’s decision to ban two pro-Palestinian lawmakers from visiting the West Bank following pressure from President Donald Trump.

An Israeli opponent of Israel's disengagement plan from Gaza mourns as he prays on the roof of a synagogue in Kfar Darom. An Israeli opponent of Israel's disengagement plan from Gaza mourns as he prays before evacuation by special evacuation policemen on the roof of a synagogue in the Jewish Gaza Strip settlement of Kfar Darom on August 18, 2005. In the most violent scenes since the start of forced evictions from Gaza, police armed only with shields poured from a cage hoisted on top of the synagogue and gr

Israel's 2005 Gaza disengagement: A turning point for Israel’s right

For the Israeli right, the 2005 Gaza disengagement became an ideological and a strategic turning point, which will make it difficult for any Israeli leader to champion a similar move in the West Bank.

Israelis captive of 'no partner for peace' concept

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is willing to meet directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for peace talks, but the Israeli leader keeps turning his back on him.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem May 5, 2019. Abir Sultan/Pool via REUTERS - RC1F6B978030

Netanyahu plays the 'peace plan' card

Israeli voters who still hold out hope for a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should ask themselves whom they would like to see leading the negotiations.

A Palestinian Hamas supporter gestures during a rally marking the 31st anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank December 14, 2018. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini - RC1B09A1B080

Hamas takes war game to West Bank

Israel accuses Hamas of being behind the killing of an Israeli soldier in the West Bank after having thwarted an apparent Hamas attempt to carry out a bombing attack in Jerusalem.

An Israeli soldier runs during a Palestinian protest against the nearby Jewish settlement of Qadomem, in the village of Kofr Qadom in the Israeli-occupied West Bank August 9, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RC11D692AFE0

West Bank attack deals heavy blow to Israel

The stabbing of an off-duty Israeli soldier at a West Bank settlement stuns the nation; the Hebrew-language media points fingers at Hamas.

Hamas Gaza Chief Yehya Al-Sinwar looks on as he takes part in a protest against Bahrain's workshop for U.S. Middle East peace plan, in Gaza City, June 26, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem - RC1569D22400

Rogue militants defy Hamas’ policy of restraint

The thwarted terror attacks of recent days indicate that Hamas' leadership is losing control over some of its operatives.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends an event marking 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shomron Local Council in the Jewish settlement of Revava in the Israeli-occupied West Bank July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC1F9F7652C0

How the Saudis help Netanyahu in his pre-election campaign

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that by boasting about ties with Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he can distance the conflict with the Palestinians from the election agenda.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1EB24996A0

Why Egypt matters — maybe more than ever

The US-Egyptian partnership deepens in Sinai, but human rights issues won’t go away.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu walk during their visit to Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India, January 17, 2018. REUTERS/Amit Dave - RC1CDFAC6A30

West Bank status quo shares eerie similarities with Kashmir

India’s recent moves to repeal Kashmiri autonomy are a lot like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intent to annex parts of the West Bank.

Will Dahlan party bust Fatah-Hamas duopoly?

Dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan is reportedly working to form a new Palestinian political party with backing from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates